The Reality of Mass Effect
by WardofDawn
Summary: My Mass Effect SI. After ignoring a warning from my friend I end up in the Mass Effect universe but not all is as cheerful as it may seem, with my own original twist. Rated M for language and adult themes later on.
1. Chapter 1- Just another cat video

Chapter 1- Just another cat video

 **A/N- Hi all, this is my new SI story, at the time I release this I aim to have at least six chapters finished so you can expect regular updates for at least 2 months. I really tried to add my own spark and slant to this slightly overused trope so I hope that you enjoy. Last thing, Please, please, please review as I really want to know how I can improve. On a far more interesting note, on with the story**

(This is me about 16 years ago, back before my life was irrevocably screwed by something that most people would assume would be a blast. I'm a 15 something year old, with nothing special in the looks department, I've got scruffy brown hair that's probably a little too long and golden hazel eyes; I am also graced with one of those faces that would blend in anywhere which means that I pretty much do. Anyway, I digress)

'Hey Michael, come look at this!' shouted Jess, one of my better friends. She had this really annoying habit of just yelling things in my general vicinity, rather than coming over to me to talk. 'Jess, I swear to god if this is another cat video then I am going to throw your phone out the window!' I shout back. Jess feigned hurt, 'But you love them! And they're soo cute!' I simply respond with a withering glare I reserve for her in these situations 'Yes but there are only so many times that you can find videos of cats getting scared of things of kittens getting into teapots before you get bored'. 'Okay fine, I promise it's not, it's something waaay cooler'.

'Fine! What is it?' I ask as I walk over to her desk, directing my attention to her phone as I do, 'It's another one of those videos that I found on YouTube, this one is completely real, I promise, there's no way it can be faked.' I don't even look at her phone for 10 seconds before stating 'Yup, fake', and walking off. There had been videos appearing on the web for the last few days about these supposed 'cracks' appearing in the fabric of the world, I personally think that they're just a really talented photo shopper/ video editor screwing with the world _and my more gullible female friends_ I wryly think to myself. 'These have been going on for so long now and in so many different places' argued Jess 'If this wasn't real then why is the government shutting down random alleys for no reason? Huh?'

'I have no idea, but just about any reason is more plausible than that' I reply just as our chemistry teacher, Mr Jones, walks in and starts the lesson. An hour later Jess is once again in my ear about the damn 'conspiracy nut porn' videos as I had come to call them as we walk out of class towards the gates, _at this point, I'll take the damn cat videos_. 'Jess' I cut her off mid-sentence 'You can tell me more about them tomorrow' _If I don't kill myself before then_ I thought mirthlessly 'If I don't get home soon then I'm gonna WISH that I got swallowed up by a hole considering how my mum will kill my ass' . She let out a short laugh before saying that she'll see me tomorrow and starting to walk home herself. I begin my relatively short walk home to our relatively large house on the outskirts of the town I live in. As I make my way home I decide to cut through an alley, semi-worst decision of my life. As I get about three quarters of the way through the alley, the ground beneath my feet suddenly ruptures into a wide gulf filled with bright white light. 'Fucking cat videos' is the last, extremely irrational thought that goes through my mind before I black out.

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(This was the point at which my normally, um normal? Life goes completely down the drain)

I bolt upright as I wake, panting heavily with my eyes frantically searching around what appeared to be….my bedroom? It looked similar to mine at least, there were the same colours on the walls and posters that were in the same places but instead of Star Wars they were for... a new Blasto film? What the feck is going on? I jump up out of the bed that I'm in, grab some jeans and a hoodie from a chest of drawers that were standing against the wall, vaguely recognising them. I decide to walk downstairs only to see my mum standing there in the kitchen, casually cooking what I supposed to be breakfast, seemingly not noticing the apparent lack of being in the right universe! 'Mum?' I manage to choke out, she turns to me 'Hey Michael, sleep well? There's some food on the table if you want it.'

'Okay, erm, thanks mum' I grab a pain au chocolate of the plate' I'm gonna go out for a bit, take a look around?' at this point I am completely baffled because as I turn to leave my mum calls out 'don't forget your Omni tool okay, I want to be able to call you if I need you.' _Okay I seriously feel like I took something and am now in a drug induced coma in an alley; because there is absolutely no way that I am in Mass Effect._ 'Yeah, you know, orange thing that goes round your wrist so you can talk to people….' _Oh mother how I love your sarcasm,_ 'Ha ha ha, I love your use of sarcasm mum, but yeah I know what the 'orangey flashy thing is'. _On another note, I am definitely at best in a Mass Effect related drug induced dream in an alleyway; at worst I am in an alternate universe with my entire family who have spontaneously lost all memory of their other lives._ I grab the device and take it outside with me as I leave. I can't even compute the fact that I am holding a real life, working Omni-tool that my mother seemed completely blasé about!

As I walked outside it didn't escape me that I seemed to be standing in a colony world straight out of mass effect. The people in the colony seemed to be clothed in a style that represented both the type of clothes around when I was born and straight out of the games. I started wandering around in awe and fiddling with the Omni tool as I did, it was a savant I, so a pretty nice version. I couldn't help but admire the scenery, the planet was clearly a lovely temperate world as there was some king of alien grass growing in patches all over the area I stood in with the systems star shining brightly above. The brighter natural colours contrasted massively with the dull steel grey of all of the colony units; despite their being shiny and new they seemed to stand out like a sore thumb compared to the natural beauty of the world. There were humans wandering around everywhere but a distinct lack of any aliens. I assumed that due to how new the colony was that there weren't any reasons for aliens to visit yet. I was still trying to come to terms with the fact that I was on an alien world, despite the large planet in the sky almost mockingly pointing it out to me as wandered through a market that had people selling all kinds of supplies; from food and drink to clothes and gadgets like Omni tools. Speaking of which, I was beginning to get the hang of mine, the way in worked was surprisingly similar to a smart phone with apps and other icons on a main screen. I assumed that this was only a civilian version and that military ones would be far more complicated. Suddenly I looked to the corner of the haptic interface .I stopped when I saw the year- 2170.

'Shit!' I start to frantically looking around at the nearby hab units, desperately hoping that I wouldn't find what I was looking for, my mind was, despite rarely playing mass effect one, churning as pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. As I turned the corner around one of the 'buildings' I caught sight of its label, exactly what I was looking for.

 **Colony Prefab unit #1549#**

 **Attican Traverse Colonisation**

 **Colony: MINDOIR**

MINDOIR- that name filled me with complete dread as I remembered with sudden clarity the colonist background for Commander Shepard; my first thought is of my family (I assumed that all my family were here, not just my mum) , other than my mum I have to sisters called Emily and Hermione and my dad. He wasn't always around a lot at home as he was in the 22nd EOD, I smiled to myself- no matter what universe my dad was in, he would always be a soldier. My sisters were both younger than me, Em was 12 and Hermione 6, they were both blonde and had blue eyes, my dad was particularly proud of them, ripping my mum for having 'weak genes', I love them both a lot and the thought of something happening to them is just unbearable to me . I turn and begin to run back to our hab unit, thankful that I had worked out how to use the navigation function on my Omni-tool, just as the first rounds ploughed into the earth. The Ground seemed to erupt around me with people and buildings disappearing into clouds of dust, debris and human. I looked up to see what seemed to be about a hundred shooting stars but knew that they were all either slaver ships or fragments of destroyed alliance vessels. I was just about to turn the corner onto my hab's 'street' when I suddenly was gifted with a close up of the side of a building as I was unceremoniously thrown face first into it. Screams filled the air as I passed out.

 **A/N- Well that the first chapter done. Hope you all liked it; please review as I would really like some feedback on this story. The next chapter will probably be out next Friday as that is when I have the most time to write. See you next time.**


	2. Chapter 2- The worst day of my life

Chapter 2- The Worst day of my Life

 **A/N- Wow, I was really amazed by the response to the first chapter of this story, due to the failure of my first story I was really concerned about this one. But this is amazing; please do review this chapter as reviews really do make my day, even the short ones. Here's this new chapter, it's out early as I am really stoked about this story and want to continue it ASAP.**

I slowly regained consciousness as the acrid smell of molten plastic and burning flesh consumed my sense of smell, I could see shapes running through the thick smoke that now filled my vision like a thick fog, _I can't even tell whether they're human or Batarian_ I thought to myself.As the ringing in my ears subsided I began to hear desperate screams and the sound of nearby gunfire, I could hear ships and, wait, _nearby gunfire?!_ My family! I scrambled to my feet and pelted around the corner as quickly as I could, upon rounding the building I saw the ruins of the hab unit my family was living in, I feared the worst until I saw my dad crouched behind a twisted lump of metal that had once been a wall, busy laying into the pirates with an avenger assault rifle. I quickly dashed across the street and flung myself over the makeshift barricade. 'Dad, where are mum and the girls?' I asked frantically, 'Mum's looking after the girls inside, go and help them so that she can come out here with me' Bullets kept impacting the metal and my dad leans out over the cover and fires several bursts from his assault rifle. I heard several mangled cries and grinned, at least they were paying for it. 'But mums not military like you, she'll die!'

'Don't worry Michael, she learnt a thing or two being an alliance admiral' I nod _so my mum was an admiral, huh wouldn't have guessed that_ , and then head further back in the ruined home. Hermione was crying quietly whilst my mother desperately tried to calm her, Emily was crouched behind a wall nearby, trying to grab glances of my dad. My mother visibly reacted upon seeing me; 'Michael, thank god you're okay, I thought you were dead when the pirates hit, I need to go help your dad so help Hermione and look after them both'. I numbly looked at my young sister as my mother left, this won't be the last time I see them, I thought, dad's a badass no matter what universe he's in, we'll all be okay , we'll win and get out of this alive _._ When I heard a sickening crunch and my mother scream I knew that it wasn't gonna happen. _Shit, so much for that grand plan,_ I felt the tears burn down my cheeks as my mother's screams were cut off as two shots rang out seemingly echoing around my mind; the woman who loved me and cared for me for 15 years was just casually gunned down in the street. I quickly came to my senses enough to put Hermione in a cupboard before turning to face my parent's murderers; three batarians entered the shell of the room. 'Ah so you are the two runts of the bastards that killed ten of my men' One Batarian(apparently the leader)asked before he turned to Emily,' at least the fun we'll have with you will be worth it.' He sneered and I screamed and lunged at him, I don't even consciously remember doing it but before I even got halfway across the room I felt a pain like no other rip through my left shoulder as one of the batarians unloaded his pistol into it. I'd never felt a pain as intense as it was. I fell to the floor and had to watch Emily try to fight of the batarians alone, she kicked one in the groin and then punched another in the face, when she grabbed a glass shard and jabbed it in one of the leaders four eyes he screamed in pain, I did the same when the same Batarian that had shot me drilled a hole right through her forehead. I exploded with pure, unaltered rage as my body shimmered with a blue aura and released a shockwave powerful enough to knock the batarians on their asses. They quickly got up and aimed their weapons at me before their now crippled leader bellowed 'Stop! This one's a biotic, he's worth an absolute fortune to a buyer I have lined up, we'll sell him with the other one, might cover our losses' The leaders last words became muffled and cloudy as the darkness claimed me.

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The pain in my shoulder flared up and dragged me back to consciousness after being knocked out for the first and second time within the space of one day. My vision blurred and I couldn't help but cry out in agony. 'Valarek, treat that human now, he can't die before we get paid'. The leader bit out and another Batarian- I presume Valarek- chucked a packet of some kind of gel towards me. _Ah medigel, hopefully no more pain… wait how does it even work?_ I began to look around whilst trying to open the packet with one hand, which- from personal experience – is very hard. I was in some cage as far as I could tell with metal mesh rather than bars and a single mesh door. The Batarians were sitting around a nearby table with cards and bottles of Batarian ale spewed across it. There were human women on most of their laps and the sight made me sick, they all had scars at the base of their necks, cranial implants for total control. Before I was able to completely lose my shit at the disgusting sight before me I heard a familiar human voice call out. 'Michael, is that you?'

'Jess! ' I exclaimed as I turned around, before flinching as pain once again flared in my arm, 'how did you get here?' She walked over to me and took the medigel from my hands and opened it. 'Same way you did I imagine, fell through a hole a week after you did, it was all over the news. You disappeared, your family was so worried about you, tried looking for you which was when I fell down a hole down that alley we sometimes cut through'. She explained as she spread the medigel on my shoulder and I felt the skin cool as it began to knit itself back together. 'That's the same one that I fell down, but I only arrived here today, when did you get here?' I asked shifting my weight onto the thin mattress lying on the floor nearby. 'A couple weeks ago, got kidnapped by these assholes off of another colony after a few days, same happen to you?' she asked, leaning against the mesh wall opposite me. 'No' I put bluntly, tears springing to my eyes as I remembered Emily's face, bullet hole and all 'They're dead, all of them. I don't even know how Hermione died, those slavers killed them all, destroyed the place I woke up on'. I break down completely at this point, no longer trying to hide my tears, not only for my family but also the fact that my best friend was now in this nightmare with me. 'Oh god Michael, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. My family didn't come through with me. I can't imagine what you're going through'. She put her arm around me and I just cried into her shoulder. We stayed like that until I was dehydrated and her shirt was soaked.

We were woken the next day by a Batarian spraying us with a high powered water jet as a sort of combined alarm clock and shower. _That is not an invention that I would pay money for I_ thought as I scrabbled to my feet, once again straining my shoulder in the process. 'Food' said the Batarian as he chucked two hunks of bread and a water bottle onto the now sodden floor of the cell. We managed to pick up the bread quickly but it was still soggy, the Batarian laughed at our misfortune as he walked off. 'Just another day in paradise' I laughed and Jess joined in, for a brief moment I forgot about the fate of my family and my current situation and enjoyed the moment of laughter before reality came crashing down. I slumped onto the soggy mattress and we ate in silence, both reflecting on our current situation which was about to get worse. Two of the slavers swaggered up to the cage and began leering at Jess and insulting me. 'Hey princess why don't you give up your pathetic human and find out what a real man feels like'. The first one began as they came up to the cell. 'Yeah feel what it's like to have a snake instead of a maggot' the other chimed in' Jess stared daggers at them 'I'd never sleep with a fucking slaver pig!' she yelled.

'Oooh she's got quite the mouth on her, maybe we should put it to better use' suggested the first one, _I refuse to allow anyone else I care about get hurt in front of me_ I thought as I screamed and launched a shockwave at the two slavers, slamming them into the wall, they quickly recovered and charged into the cage, stun batons drawn. I charge them as they walk into the cage and attack the first one by punching him in the jaw with my good arm before pain blossomed across my chest, the second Batarian rammed his baton into my ribs, Jess then hit him over the head with the chair in the cell, shattering it. Unfortunately for us both the first Batarian had now recovered and knocked Jess out with a single blow of his baton before approaching me with a sadistic grin and hitting me with his stun baton, a combination of the electricity and the forceful blows splitting my eyebrow and reopening my shoulder wound before I finally gave up consciousness for the third time in two days.

 **A/N- So that was chapter two, much earlier than I planned and chapter three I will try to get up on Friday but if not it will happen over the weekend. Please review as they encourage me a lot to write so more reviews= more chapter. Anyway, have a good one!**


	3. Chapter 3- Like Summer Camp, but worse

Chapter 3- Like Summer Camp, but worse

 **A/N- Another load of great responses for last chapter even got a few reviews which were great! I would first just like to say that I'm sorry that this wasn't out on Friday but I had my driving theory test today which took up basically all my time for revision. Anyway, this is the next chapter and it should hopefully be a good one. So enjoy…**

 _I got to stop getting knocked out_ I think as I slowly craw back to a semi-conscious state, dragging myself across the cell floor with my one good arm towards Jess who was still out cold where she had been knocked to the floor. I noticed that she seemed to be okay but I had to be sure; 'Jess' I called gently, trying to rouse her 'are you alright, they didn't….' I trailed of as she came to; propped herself up on her elbows and shook her head. I let out the breath I had been semi-consciously holding and propped myself against the nearest fence wall. 'Food' came the gruff grunt as two hunks of bread and a bottle of water were again thrown into the cell. The Batarian wandered round the corner as I dragged my sorry, dirty ass over to the food before dragging it back to Jess who was still curled up on the mattress. We were just starting to eat and drink when a gruff voice echoes over the intercom and through the hold 'Approaching Tortuga Station- prepare to offload cargo'. We heard a lot of grumbling followed by three Batarians rushing round the corner with a hose, they then proceeded to thoroughly douse the pair of us with the same hose that they used on me when I first arrived, after this they slammed their stun batons onto the floor, electrocuting both us as the charge went straight across the damp floor. Then they dragged us out of the cage and through the ship, not seeming to care as my head hit various objects as we went; before finally cramming me into a small white crate with several holes in the side _like a fucking pet carrier_ I thought grimly as I saw Jess receive the same treatment as me. I heard the engines whine down and felt a not so gently bump as the ship crunched into a metal surface. The landing ramp descended and bright sunlight poured through the rapidly widening gap, I have to look away, not used to the bright light after being in a barely lit cell for several days. The crate starts to float _some kind of antigrav thrusters?_ I think before I start to look around and see the Logo on the uniforms of the Batarian 'customers'.

 **CERBERUS**

'For FUCK sake!' I scream as I see the logo, 'can I not catch a fucking break!; I wasn't expecting Mal Maison or anything, but seriously, Cerberus, Fuck- can my luck honestly be this bad?!'. All parties involved in the transaction looked slightly baffled and very pissed off at my outburst. The Batarian pushing the crate that I was in applied liberal amounts of electricity to the side which only made me swear even harder, at this point even Jess seemed alarmed by my outburst as one: I had never, ever lost my shit like that before- in front of her or otherwise and two: I seemed to at least partially know what the fuck was going on. After the voltage became too much I decided it was probably best to stop. The rest of the transaction took place with ease. Two people wearing lab coats pushed us inside and placed us in identical cells next to each other.

They were simple, whitewashed walls with one being completely made of glass; a mat on a raised plinth that served as a bed with a white toilet in the corner and a stand with a single light. Then a panel in the wall moved upwards into the ceiling revealing a shower, walked through and it slid shut behind me. With no other choice I decided to shower, the water was so hot it almost burnt and stank of antiseptic to the point at which it burnt my nostrils. I got out quickly and the panel allowed me access to my cell. There was a white towel along with some Cerberus fatigues on my bed so I took the time that I had whilst drying to systematically unstitch or rip off all of the Logos on the uniform before chucking it, disgusted onto the floor and falling into a restless sleep.

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' _Hey Michael, wake up! We're gonna be late if you don't move!' I sigh before rolling myself out of bed only to have my face meet the floor in a very unceremonious manner. 'Okay Jess I'm coming Jeez, I really don't see why we need to get up this early though!' I groan as I force myself to my feet and towards my wardrobe. 'I told you, if we want to catch the train there then we have to go now!' I sigh, 'Fine! But for the record I still believe that going to the other end of the country just to watch a film in 4D, even if it is Star Wars, is unnecessary'. Despite sharing in my best friend's love for the Sci-fi film I was still quite content in going to see it in 3D IMAX at midnight but oh no, miss 'I'm gonna dress like a twi-lek and drag you all over the country in a Jedi getup just HAD to see it in 4D. 'Michael if you aren't down here in 5 minutes I'm gonna take a photo and send it to your dad! I groan, thinking about how much shit my dad would give me if he caught me in my costume (or 'playing dress up' as he called it when I was making it).I walk down stair in my robes which is when everything goes to hell, from one of my more fond memories into an utter nightmare. Armed men break down the door and suddenly my family are all around me, I scream as my parents are torn apart by gunfire right in front of me and Emily once again gets hit as single time in the head. I turn my head back to where Jess was standing just in time to see myself run a knife across her neck._

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I lurch awake, my throat raw from all the screaming I assumed that I must have done, I angrily wiped the tears from my face and pulled the quilt, a little harder than necessary and tried to go back to sleep, feeling surprisingly drained.

I woke the next day to two Cerberus Guards standing over me, dragging me out of bed, they forced me to change into my defaced uniform, I took some small pride in the fact that I didn't have the symbol anywhere on me. They then escorted me to a small room with a table and two chairs, a surprisingly healthy breakfast in front of one. The two guards then clamped a small wristband on my left wrist and cuffed my left foot to the chair before leaving. My body decided to become aware of my stomach again at this point and remind me that it did in fact need food. Despite knowing that I shouldn't trust the food before me I really was too hungry to care and began wolfing it down only to begin chocking as Wilson (Yes slimy, treacherous bastard Wilson) walked into the room with his Omni-tool already up to record everything. 'What do you want?' I spat, not even bothering to keep the venom out of my voice. 'Ah, Michael is it? I heard about your little tirade on the landing pad and I was just wondering how it was that you recognised the symbol, considering we are a secret Alliance group?' I stared at the man, wondering if he was arrogant or stupid enough to think that he'd get anywhere near a straight answer out of me 'First, you must be a really shitty secret wing if I know about you and second'… I paused for dramatic effect 'go fuck yourself' I concluded, going back to my breakfast. 'Michael, can I call you Michael? We are only here to better humanity and ensure that it gains its rightful place within galactic society, so tomorrow; you WILL turn up on time and you Will co-operate fully or I will take great personal pleasure in beating you'. I scoffed and looked up at him 'You don't look like you could beat wet tissue paper whatever you name is, but threat received, I'll be a good little lab rat' _That way you bastards will let your guard down and I WILL take great pleasure in dismembering all of you._ I thought as I stared down Wilson. He nodded to himself, seemingly deciding that he had accomplished all that he had set out to do before standing and leaving. I ate the rest of my breakfast in peace before Mike and Ike (the names I had decided to give the two guards who always watched over me) took me back to my cell and threw me inside, passing Jess on the way with her own personal escort.

I spend the rest of the day in my cell recreating the my overused prison trope involving a tennis ball and a wall- the tennis ball having been found on my bed upon my return. However when dinner came and went and Ike came in and yelled at me to go to sleep (bit counterproductive if you ask me) I met the darkness with much trepidation at what my dreams would bring…

 **A/N- So there was chapter 3, how did you like it? Please read and review as it does help a lot, thanks to all for being patient with my lateness but it was due to the reasons listed above. Also please feel free to PM me with any errors you find as I'm writing this at twelve at night so there may be some mistakes. Anyway, till next time…..**


	4. Chapter 4- Boot Camp 101

**Chapter 4- Boot Camp 101**

 **A/N- Another chapter, and late once again, I'll have to be careful or I'll turn into an irresponsible writer. I would also like to just give a shout out to Kebarton whose PM's have been a great source of encouragement for me. Anyways on with the next chapter, as always, R &R. :)**

Mike and Ike, being the pleasant people that they are,decided to wake me extra early the next morning before 'escorting' me to breakfast in the same room with Jess. 'Morning' I mumbled through my porridge, which actually tasted all right to be fair to the terrorist assholes. 'Morning, how you been sleeping?' she asked back, a concerned look on her face; _shit, she saw then_. At this point I should probably mention the fact that I am looking like absolute crap due to only having about 8 hours sleep in the last two days. I had a pretty similar dream last night to the night before which therefore meant that sleeping didn't go very well. 'I'm not gonna lie, I've had better mornings, and better accommodation!' I raised my voice for the last two words to make sure that Mike could hear me, standing by the door. 'Michael, seriously, why do you try to piss them off, it's pretty clear that it isn't gonna work to get us out by now!' she whisper-shouted at me, I simply rolled my eyes, used to her lectures. 'Well I gotta do something for fun, besides, Mike and Ike know I mean it' I turn to look at Mike 'Don't you?' he simply turned to have his back facing me. 'Well someone's pissy today, what did Ike not let you be the man last night?' Jess nearly choked on her food in front of me and Mike whirled around looking thoroughly pissed. _For future reference, I am not homophobic or anything, it is simply that jokes of that nature are the easiest way to annoy men like them._ I thought as Mike stalked over to me, grabbed me and Jess by the scruff of our necks and dragged us out of the room, we didn't even finish our meal.

Mike unceremoniously threw us through the door into a room that reminded me somewhat of a high school gym. There were several crates and canisters along one wall and windows covered another, showing the barren wasteland of the planet outside, the few decrepit, dying bits of brush reflected my mood perfectly. There was an observation room up on the wall opposite to the windows which projected out into the room slightly with four scientists, including Wilson, in standard Cerberus garb with their Omni-tools glowing. The intercom then sounded across the room, echoing off of the bare walls.' Hello you two, I hope that you have enjoyed your stay so far and that you have been treated well' I scoff, none too subtly 'Well, I once went to the Ritz, and compared to that this place is a shithole, white is VERY fucking boring when you put it on _everything,_ just so you know! Also cut the bloody false niceties you piece of shit' the scientists all seemed a little stunned by this, bar Wilson who seemed to calmly write down some notes on his Omni-tool. 'You will quickly learn that _unpleasant_ language will not be tolerated here. We saved your lives, you could at least show, Common Courtesy!' He screamed the last two words, his composure failing. Suddenly pain blossomed from my left forearm and I fell to the floor screaming, barely aware of Jess suffering the same fate next to me. Wilson spoke very slowly and deliberately now, the smug tone clearly evident within his voice 'Subdermal nerve implants are a fickle thing aren't they? Such a small thing causing so, much, _pain'_ cuing his Omni-tool at the same time he said the last word and the pain further intensified before suddenly ceasing. 'Now, you are going to do what we say and demonstrate your biotics or', he waves his Omni-tool ominously, 'so first we want you to lift the containers in order of size on the other side of the room'. _You bastards will pay when I escape, I'll just bide my time_ I think as I temporarily resign myself to fulfilling the tests.

Jess and I spent the rest of the day in various testing halls, completing tests in various attributes such as intelligence, biotics, fitness and lateral thinking. I do reasonably well in most of it but fall down a little in fitness and Jess has issues with her biotics, with them being weaker than mine. After the last test, we are given a decent meal that I don't really remember what it was as I was so hungry after using my biotics as much as I had; Mike and Ike then put us back in our cells. A passageway appeared between the two with a door which somewhat surprised me until I discovered that the door was locked. Sighing I turned around, quickly ripped the logos off of the new uniform I found on my bed and passed out onto my bed, not even moving the covers.

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 **1 Year Later**

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(Over the course of the last year, very little had changed in my routine from the first day; wake up- piss off mike, got to training- piss of Wilson, go to dinner-piss of Ike, go to bed- talk to Jess. They allowed us a little free time at night and one day a week and at these times Jess and I were free to go into each other's cell, which were still completely plain. Both of our biotics had improved, although mine were slightly better and we were both in peak physical condition now, _There's at least one positive_ I thought grimly as my family still plagued my nightmares and I felt their loss just as strongly now as I ever did.)

I run across the small opening with the stun bolts slamming into the walls around me before smoothly sliding under a beam and narrowly dodging a stun baton aimed at my head ; smoothly flipping Mike off as I moved past him. I move round the hall corner and dive over a desk, landing into a roll and coming straight up running again, as I move round the next bend I launch biotic attacks down the branching hallways to my left and right, satisfied as I hear cries echo round them. In the next corridor I leap over a pit and wall run over another before grabbing hold of the net attached to the ceiling, climbing along it and then up the wall that it went up at the end of the pit. I quickly haul myself over the edge and slide over the line. The scoreboard blaring up my time in big red numbers, _not my fastest but it'll do to keep the dogs away._ Walking through another hallway straight into my cell I wonder how Jess did on her course, dumping my sweaty uniform (minus logos still) into the laundry chute I climb into the shower.

About half an hour later I am dragged to the canteen for lunch and meet Jess there, 'How'd it go with the goon squad?' I ask, sliding into the chair opposite her and grabbing a protein bar. 'Alright, I guess, heard that we're doing something different this afternoon; military training I think' she tried to act nonchalant to everything she was saying but I noticed the worried look flash on her face when she mentioned the afternoon- we were both waiting for when they would kick up the training, and dreading it. 'Well they can't push us any harder, or beat us any more' I shrug, the bruises having long since faded with only a few scars remaining 'I'm sure that things will be fine, besides you have me to constantly save you when you screw up'. She scoffs at my last comment and levels me with a glare that would make Batman flinch 'More like I have to save you every time you annoy Tony and Steve!' 'I told you not to call them by their names, they're Mike and Ike, if you name them then you'll have a harder time getting rid of them!' The aforementioned Cerberus lackeys seemed to have heard the last statement and came over to take us to our afternoon 'activities'.

We were led into the same hall that we had our biotics tested in, instead now there were two weapon benches in front of us with an assault rifle disassembled on each. Weapon racks lined the walls with every kind of weapon, attachment or mod that you could think of on them. There were also two firing ranges laid out for us to use and we spent the rest of the day being taught via hologram how to disassemble, reassemble and clean an assault rifle before we had a quick go firing them. With my imagining each target being the Batarian who killed Emily my aim improved quite quickly. Afterwards we got a horrible surprise as we were taken to new cells far away from each other _at least I think they are_ I thought glumly as I looked back over my shoulder to see Jess being led down a set of stairs at the other end of the hallway. My nightmares came back full force that night.

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 **1 Year Later**

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I hadn't seen Jess or Mike since the day I began weapon training and whilst I was quite pleased with my progress in weapon proficiency as I now knew most weapons inside out and had decent aim with all (although I prefer ARs and shotguns), I had never felt more alone. I literally had no one as mike never spoke a word and all training was done through a faceless, monotone VI; the only reason that I got through was the thought of putting my new skills to the test on my captors and then every Batarian slaver that I could get my hands on.

Ike then decided- along with Wilson I have no doubt- decided that It was time to start CQC training with me and then proceeded to spend the entire afternoon handing my ass to me in what must have been every way imaginable, _payback for all the wiseass comment about him and mike._ However over the next year I slowly improve as I learn several different martial art forms and just general dirty fighting (most of my knowledge I attribute to Ike repeatedly kicking my ass for around 300 days of the year until the fight became more even and I started to occasionally put him on the mat. Over the course of the year he slowly seemed to warm slightly to me as he worked out all of his hatred and frustration out on my face, he even occasionally ground out a brief 'Morning' to me once in a while.

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 **2173**

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I woke up yet again to Ike dragging me out of bed and forcing me to put on my uniform (they had taken to ironing the logos on and so I had taken to slicing out those parts of my uniform). He then led me to a new door that I hadn't ever seen before, gave me an almost regretful, sad smile as he opened it and I walked past. _That was freaky; Ike usually shows the emotional range of a paperclip._ I thought until I saw why even the man of steel had cracked; I was in an arena of some sorts with an observation window on the left wall and cameras covering the others. There were faint red stains on the floor but the walls were their usual sterile white and that's when I saw her, the image that would burn into my soul and plague me for years to come, Jess…

 **A/N- So I know that this is late and I'm sorry that I have no excuse except that I'm a horrible person. Despite this please review; also can you PM me and tell me what you think of Jess so far as a character and whether or not I should keep her or not ( I have two versions of the next chapter planned and would like some audience input). Anyways, have a good one :)**


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